


Three - Hiatus

by Nariva



Category: Green Lantern - All Media Types, Green Lantern: First Flight (2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Bigotry & Prejudice, Emotional Manipulation, Fish out of Water, Gen, I Can Hear People Screaming In The Distance That Rings Don't Work Like That, If You Want Someone To Join You Don't Be An Ass To Them, Manipulation, Murder, On Hiatus, Out of Character, Trust, Trust Issues, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-12-07 17:36:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18238097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: Surrounded by a disapproving and judgmental Green Lantern Corps, Hal trusted the first mildly friendly person he encountered- Sinestro.If the Corps had bothered to study human interactions, as Thaal had, they would have learned that first impressions meant a great deal to the species.





	1. Introductions - Sinestro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The human was mildly intriguing.

     "There," Boodikka said, pointing into the distance. Thaal saw the human, then, a small speck of green flying through the night. He eyed the gleaming figure- he'd always been curious about what a human with a ring would be like, it seemed he'd finally get to see. Kilowog grunted in acknowledgment, angling downward as he picked up speed. As the other two followed after him, Thaal hung back, watching as they sped towards the human. Unsurprisingly the oaf struck first, his power smashing into the human and forcing it downward. He slammed it against the rocks, pinning it in place as the three hovered before it. Thaal slowly descended, getting his first good look at the human as Boodikka spoke. "So it's true," she murmured, "Abin Sur really is dead."

     "Where's his body?" Tomar demanded, and the human paused in its struggles to stare at the alien's appearance, Thaal nearly chuckling at it's surprised expression. "I _said_ , where's-!"

     "He- he was blown up with the spacecraft," the human replied, and Thaal watched as Kilowog drifted closer to it, waiting to see what his volatile fellow Lantern would do.

     "I want it off," the larger alien said, reaching to grab the human's arm. He pulled it forward, ignoring the human's pained grunt as he tightly held its wrist. He scoffed, turning to his fellow Lanterns. "The poozer's not even trained." Movement made Thaal look back to the human, and he saw it grit its teeth, its hand tightening into a fist. The ring on its finger gleamed, then, and it shoved Kilowog back with a hand shaped construct. Mm, the human had been practicing it seemed. Freed from the Lantern's grip, the human fell towards the ground, Tomar striking just as it touched down. He slammed it back against the rocks with a two pronged construct, and Thaal drifted closer as it struck back at Tomar, its own construct a mirror image of his own. Boodikka intercepted the blow, swatting the human's attack to the ground and pinning it beneath her own ring's power. The human bared its teeth, grunting as it strained against Tomar's construct, and Thaal looked down to watch in silent surprise as its own power slowly pushed Boodikka's back. How intriguing. He would have liked to see more, but the others would question his absence, so he drifted down to where the human could see him. He held his hands up, drawing their attention as he spoke.

     "Let's all power down for moment, shall we?" he suggested, and Boodikka withdrew her construct, Tomar reluctantly releasing the human. It wearily leaned back against the rocks, its ring still gleaming as he continued. "I'm sorry for my fellow Lanterns' actions," he apologized, "this has been a hard time for us." He gestured to himself, "my name is Sinestro," then to Boodikka, "this is Boodikka, and Tomar," he continued, glancing over the alien. "And," he said, listening to their fourth member make his way back up to them, "you've met our _charming_ Kilowog." Kilowog scoffed at that, brushing the leaves from his suit as they all looked back to the human. "And you?" he asked.

     "Hal," the human replied, pushing itself off the rocks to stand straight as it looked between them. "Hal Jordan."

     "Well, Hal Jordan," he said, and its pale eyes focused back on him, "we are members of the Green Lantern Corps." Thaal focused his power, rising to hover slightly off the ground as he drifted towards the human. "An elite intergalactic force from the planet Oa." It blinked at him, showing no recognition whatsoever at his name drops. Oh, this was going to be interesting. "Our superiors are a group of immortals known as the Guardians." This time the human nodded, turning on its heel to keep track of him as he slowly circled it.

     "Yeah," it said, "the ali-" it looked back at the others, swallowed, "your friend said they were going to send for me."

     "That's right," Thaal assured the human, "we're to bring you back for a little chat."

     "The ring isn't yours until the Guardians have decided," Tomar told it, and it hesitated, then nodded.

     "Ok," the human agreed, and Thaal smiled at it.

     "Very good," he said, nodding to the other Corps members to step closer. "I'll be doing the honors for tonight," he told them, pointing his ring at the ground. The human watched in blatant interest as his power spread outward, the Green Lanterns stepping onto his construct as he shaped it around them. With everyone secured inside, they lifted off into the night.


	2. Space - Hal

     He'd never thought about flying _in_ a construct before. Hal reached out to touch the bright wall behind him, surprised by how detailed the entire cockpit was.

     "I thought the trip might be easier for you in a more earthly construct," the red skinned alien, Sinestro, told him. He glanced out the window to his left, watching as bright stars streaked past.

     "Uh, thanks," Hal murmured, reaching up to toy with the ring on his finger as he turned his back to the window. Best not to think about being in space in a thing that could disappear.

     "How long have you had the ring?" the alien asked, and he looked back up at the man as he considered it.

     "About a week?" he guessed, giving a small shrug at the look that got him.

     "And you were already flying," Sinestro said, sounding impressed. "Some of our initiates take weeks to get to that stage," he told him, "I'm surprised you reached it so early."

     "I've had a lot of free time on my hands," Hal confessed. "My bosses gave me three weeks of paid leave after the ring snatched me- I've been experimenting with it ever since."

     "You'll have more freedom to experiment on Oa," Sinestro assured him, then paused, nodding back towards the window. "See it?" Hal turned back towards the window, staring out in disbelief at the vibrant purple sky around them as the makeshift spacecraft slowly descended. He spun towards the red skinned alien, his eyes wide.

     " _How_!?"

     "Willpower is incredibly important when wielding the ring," Sinestro told him. "If you _believe_ it, the ring will _make_ it so." Hal looked down at the ring on his finger, eyeing it with newfound awe.

     "I didn't know," he murmured, shaking his head.

     "You didn't have a teacher," the alien pointed out, the door behind them opening with a faint hiss. "Don't worry," he assured him as they both stepped back to let Boodikka pass, "the Guardians will assign you a mentor." Hal startled at the deep groan that came from Kilowog as the massive alien stepped between them, Tomar following after the other Green Lantern as Hal cocked an eyebrow at Sinestro. "Kilowog usually trains our newest recruits," the man explained, and Hal peered out of the cockpit to watch as the grumpy alien turned to glare up at them.

     "Come on," he called out, waving at them to come down. "We haven't got all day." Hal looked back at Sinestro, giving him a lopsided smile.

     "Any chance I could just have you instead?" he only half jokingly asked, and Sinestro returned his smile.

     "It's been a while since I've had a student of my own," the man said, letting Hal go ahead of them as they exited the cockpit. The brunet turned when he reached the floor, watching as its power flowed back into the man's ring. "Still, I'd look forward to the chance- we've never had a human in the Corps before."

     "Oh. So that's why they're all looking at me like that?" Hal asked, looking around at the many varied eyes watching him. So many different shapes and colors- wait, did that alien over there have wings!?

     "Yes," Sinestro replied, and something in the man's tone made him look back to him as they set out across the wide room.

     "What?" he asked, but Sinestro shook his head.

     "We should get going," the man said, "the Guardians don't like to be kept waiting."


	3. Angry Smurfs - Hal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> … maybe he shouldn't have come...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honesty time- "First Flight" is the first Green Lantern movie I've ever seen, so keeping track of who was saying what got very confusing very fast in Hal's first meeting with the Guardians. I gave up, lol.

     Smurfs. He was being both literally and figuratively talked down to by _smurfs_. Hal stood in the center of their weird high circle, his hands clenched behind his back as they continued to speak.

     "You must understand, Earthling," the smurf to his left said, "the Green Lantern Corps is a privileged organization, not just anyone can join." Tell that to the ring on my finger, the man thought. "There are tremendous commitments- each Lantern is responsible for patrolling one of thirty-six hundred sectors of the universe." Sorta like one cop per precinct, he thought, except everyone had traded blue for green. All right, that made sense in way. "But more than that," the smurf continued, "the Green Lantern ring is a complex tool." The little blue man crossed his arms. "It takes someone with _fierce_ concentration." Well, he could make constructs and fly, that had to count for something, right?

     "I think I've pretty much got the hang of it," Hal told them with a small shrug.

     "He's got the hang of it," the smurf to his left muttered, and his tone made Hal frown.

     "Ranakar," the smurf next to him cautioned, and Ranakar turned towards him.

     "Why are we even _entertaining_ this?" Ranakar demanded, "he's a human!" Hal cocked an eyebrow at the little man- what did his species have anything to do with this?

     "Yes," another one of the smurfs said, "hard to get past that." Ok, what did they mean by that? Seeing his expression, one to his right spoke up.

     "I'm afraid the human race of Earth does not have the most stellar reputation," he told him, and Hal stared up at it in confusion. Not the most stellar reputation? How? As far as Hal knew, no one had made regular contact with aliens, how could they have gotten such a bad name?

     "The fact is," another spoke, "humans are crude, base, fearful, and untrustworthy."

     "And then there's the smell," came a muttered comment from his right, and Hal felt his mouth drop. Smell? He'd showered that morning!

     "You can't condemn an entire species," the third smurf spoke up again, gesturing at him.

     "You've said it yourself, Ganthet," Ranakar said, "it's a wonder they've lasted this long." Ok, now he was offended. "Maybe you'd like me to list their atroscities," the smurf continued, glaring down at him. "Maybe our human can help us, maybe he has a few of his own." Yeah, no. Forget this.

     "Listen, buddy," Hal interrupted them, glaring around the circle of tiny men. "I didn't ask for this ring- you want it back?" He raised his hand high. " _Take it_ , because I've had just about enough of this _crap_."

     "Well," one of them spoke, his tone thoroughly disapproving, "it appears we can add impertinence to their many qualities." He was done with this. Hal lowered his arm, taking his ring to pull it off, when another voice interrupted him.

     "The human has a point," Ganthet protested. "If he were as unworthy as everyone says, no power in the galaxy could have forced that ring on his finger." The little man looked down at him. "Yet there it is, at one with him." The circle of men broke out into conversation at that, and Hal crossed his arms as he looked up at them.

     "Guardian Council," Hal turned at Sinestro's voice, watching as the man floated upward and headed towards him. "If I may speak?"

     "Please, Sinestro," the group acknowledged him. "The Lantern of Sector 1417 is recognized." The alien landed at his side, and Hal uncrossed his arms as the man spoke.

     "Thank you, Appa Ali Apsa," Sinestro said.  "I'd like to make a proposal," he put forward, and Hal titled his head at the man. "Allow me to take the human under my wing, test him out, see what he's made of. People can surprise you if you give them a little," the man paused, looking at him, "incentive."

     "You have more important things on your agenda, Sinestro," one of the smurfs argued, and Hal smothered a frown.

     "We have a deepening crisis at hand," another one said.

     "I understand, sir," Sinestro said, nodding, "but I thought the human could be of assistance."

     "It's a bit out of the ordinary," came the reply, "but I'd be interested in Sinestro's evaluation."

     "Shall we put it to a vote? All in favor," the other smurf said, and Hal stared as its eyes gleamed blue, a thin humming sound coming from the little man. One by one, more of the smurfs' eyes shone, the humming sound increasing until every eye gleamed. Things had gone straight back to _weird_. "So be it," the little man said, the blue in his eyes fading. "The human falls under your command, Sinestro."

     "Good luck," one of them muttered, and Hal glared at him as the group lifted off from their circular stage. As the small men left the room, he turned back towards Sinestro.

     "So, what now?" he asked.

     "Now, I'm your mentor," Sinestro paused, giving him a half smile. "Just like you wanted." He nodded toward the exit, drifting higher as he angled for it. "Come on, I have something I want to show you." Curious, Hal followed after the man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise that not everything is going to be so "copy, paste" from the movie! Just.... some of it.
> 
> Also, "I own your ass." I lol'd when Sinestro said that, way to put your best foot forward after they handed Hal to you on a silver platter.


	4. Images - Hal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The things his ring could do kept surprising him.

     "So," Hal hesitantly started as Sinestro drifted downward, "what's this crisis the s-" he paused, clearing his throat, " _they_ were talking about?" The alien landed, starting forward as Hal joined him.

     "A small matter of who's going to control the universe," the man replied, and Hal blinked at him.

     "That, uh, that doesn't sound small," he said, and that got him a smirk.

     "Not that it's in the best of hands as it is," the red skinned alien murmured, and the brunet cocked his head at the man.

     "What do you mean by that?" he asked, but Sinestro didn't answer him as they passed through a row of bulky aliens. Hal couldn't help but stare at their odd features, eyeing the way their long hair nearly reached their ankles as his mentor turned, waving him onward. They passed through light gold colored hallways, Hal peering over the alien's shoulder as he spotted a faint blueish gleam ahead.

     "We're on sacred ground, Hal," Sinestro told him as they entered the massive room, Hal marveling at the architecture as they started out across a thin walkway. "We're at the very center of the universe." The man gestured ahead of them to where a massive green and yellow lantern sat. "This lantern contains the battery that powers all the rings," he explained, then paused, considering its gleaming hatch. "Hal?"

     "Yeah?" The alien clenched his hand, pointing his fist towards the man. Hal stared at it, uncertain about what he wanted him to do.

     "Press your ring to mine," Sinestro instructed, and baffled, he stepped forward and did as he'd been told. The two rings shone with light at contact, and he gasped as the room around him faded. "It's alright, Hal," he distantly heard Sinestro say as an image of space flickered to life in his mind's eye. "I'm just showing you who we'll be looking for." The man forced himself to relax, swallowing as the stars spun around him. "The alien whose ring you wear, Abin Sur," the bright red alien appeared before him, and startled, Hal took a step back. Sinestro caught his wrist before their rings disconnected, holding him in place as the image shifted to the interiors of massive ship. "He was on an undercover mission for the Guardians, investigating a criminal called Kanjar Ro." The figure of Abin Sur rippled, growing larger as his green clothing morphed to blue, his light red skin shifting to a more purplish tone as small tentacles sprouted from his chin.

     "So," Hal said, shuddering at how oddly disjointed his own voice sounded. "We're looking for this guy?"

     "In a way," came the reply, and the figure shifted for a third time. The imposing alien before him rippled again, its form draping down into trailing tentacles as its color changed to a dull greenish gray. "This is Cuch," Sinestro told him, "the butcher who killed Abin Sur." The image flickered, fading as Hal's vision returned. His mentor stepped back, disconnecting their rings. "If we find Cuch, we can... _persuade_... him to tell us where Kanjar Ro is hiding."

     "Alright," Hal agreed, nodding. "Where do you think this Cuch guy is, then?"

     "Sector 1215," Sinestro replied, "on Cadmendoh." He paused, grimacing in disgust. "It's a pustule of a planet, a breeding ground for criminal scum- the Guardians should have never let it get that bad." The alien looked at him, his gaze considering. "They'd never agree to me taking a rookie there, but if you're up for it, I plan on heading there now. The sooner we find Cuch," he said, "the better."

     "I'm up for it," Hal assured him, and Sinestro smiled.

     "That's the spirit."


	5. Booly - Sinestro

     "What is this place?" the human quietly asked him, watching the two patrons argue with the bouncer.

     "It's called Labella's," Sinestro explained, peering out from behind the corner. The bouncer forced the patrons back, giving a toothy grin as their shrieking grew louder.

     "Is he Labella?" Hal asked, and Sinestro shook his head.

     "He's the bouncer," he replied, stepping out into the alleyway. "Watch my back," he told the human. He waited till he got a nod, then started towards the hulking bouncer. The patrons paled at the sight of him, scurrying off like the vermin they were as he greeted the alien. "Boolywatt," he called out, smiling.

     "Sinestro," the alien returned his greeting, and Thaal's smile deepened at the uncertain tone.

     "Looks like a busy night," he commented, crossing his arms as he stopped in front of the bouncer. "Any chance Cuch has shown up?" The alien shook its thick head.

     "Don't know no Cuch," he insisted. Ah, so they were going to play it that way, then.

     "Booly," Thaal said, letting his voice go soft as he slung an arm around the bouncer's shoulder. "I haven't introduced you to my newest trainee yet, have I?" He turned, gesturing to the human. "Booly, meet Hal. Hal, Booly."

     "Um. Hi... Booly," the human slowly greeted him, clearly testing the name out. Thaal nearly chuckled at him- aliens meeting new aliens, it was always amusing to watch.

     "This is Hal's first time on Cadmendoh," the Green Lantern told the bouncer. "Now, I didn't want to bring him here, this wretched hive of a planet shouldn't have been his second place to visit, but Cuch has info we need." He fisted his hand behind his back, extending the power of his ring to pointedly press against the back of the bouncer's neck.

     "I swear," Booly told him, "I ain't seen Cuch since he left with the bug man."

     "He always comes back to Labella after he's finished a job," Thaal said, gently pressing the point deeper. The alien flinched, blood trickling down the back of his neck.

     "He left a while ago, he ain't been back yet," Booly insisted, and Thaal eyed him for a moment before withdrawing his construct.

     "Then we'll wait for him," he told the human, nodding back at the alleyway they'd come out of. As Hal turned to head back, the Green Lantern pulled the bouncer close. "We were never here, understood?"

     "Yeah, man," the alien said, nodding. "I ain't ever seen you here."

     "Good," Thaal said, smiling at him. "I'm glad we could reach this... agreement." He released the alien, wiping his hand on the fabric of his suit as he went to join Hal back in the alleyway.


	6. Flying Octopus - Hal

     "There," his mentor quietly said, and Hal looked up to follow his gaze. He watched as the octopus like alien drifted downward, aiming for the entrance. Sinestro stepped out from the alleyway, shooting a beam of light that knocked the alien through the wall of the building behind it. It cried out in pain, rubble shifting around it as it pushed itself up to look at them. Dark eyes went wide, and the creature shot upward through the crumbling ceiling, veering away from them. "After him!" Sinestro told him, taking to the skies to pursue Cuch. Hal leapt into the air, balancing out as he followed after his mentor. Ugh, it even _moved_ like an octopus, its tentacles trailing out behind it as it shot over rooftops and stalls. Sinestro shot at the alien, who dodged to the left and sped towards-? Hal squinted in the dark, his eyes widening when he finally saw the waves of the ocean. Octopus monsters and water? He had a hunch that it wasn't going to be good! His mentor leveled out behind the speeding creature, his ring glowing as he sliced outward with his power. The creature wailed as the strike sheered off several of its tentacles, slowing as it thrashed in pain. It turned on Sinestro, lashing out with- was that lightening? The thing could shoot lightening!? Hal angled high, watching as the aliens faced off. Sinestro dove below the screeching creature's attacks, and it darted around his return energy blasts. Ok, what could he use? What could he... The man looked down at his ring, then back at octopus alien. Maybe? Hal pictured the lasso in his mind and the ring glowed, green rope extending out into his waiting hands. What had Sinestro said? Believe it, and the ring would make it so? Alright. He could do this- he wouldn't miss and it would work. Hal gripped the rope, focusing on the alien as he whirled the makeshift lasso above his head. He wouldn't miss and it would work. He wouldn't miss and it would work! Sinestro ducked beneath the creature's attack, his eyes catching on Hal as the man took a breath and threw the lasso. It'd work, it'd work, it'd-! The rope fell around the alien's shoulders, and Hal hissed in frustration as it reached for it. "Pull!" Sinestro yelled up at him, and the man gritted his teeth, yanking back on the rope. It slipped upward, going tight around the alien's neck, and the creature gagged as its tentacles writhed. His mentor flew straight for the alien, a hammer materializing in his hands as he drew back and slammed it into the creature. Hal withdrew his power, letting the unconscious alien drop to the rooftop below. It landed hard, its tentacles splaying outward as Sinestro drifted down and encased it in a solid green hold. The red skinned man looked back up at him, giving him a smile. "Good work, Hal," he said, and Hal hesitantly returned the smile. Flickers of green caught his eye, and he looked up to watch as several Green Lanterns descended towards them.

     "We heard there was a disturbance," Tomar said, looking down at Cuch. "I guess they were right."

     "Aw," Hal heard a small voice say, and he stared in surprise as a... a _squirrel_ zipped down to hover above the unconscious thug. "He's never looked so peaceful."

     "I'm taking him to the nearest substation," Sinestro told them, lifting Cuch high. "I want everyone with me." He took off, Hal hurriedly flying after him as the others followed behind.


	7. Lunch - Hal

     Sinestro paused, looking up from his hold on the thug to turn back to Hal.

     "You should eat something," he told the man. "We'll be going after Kanjar Ro as soon as I get this vermin to talk."

     "Sure," Hal agreed, then looked up and down the long hallways. "And it's.... where, exactly?" Sinestro tilted his head, looking past him to the small group of Green Lanterns behind him.

     "Would someone mind showing Hal where the lunch room is?" he asked. None of them replied, avoiding eye contact with the man as they parted to move past him. Hal looked away from them, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment as the group pointedly ignored him. Fine, maybe he didn't want to eat, then. It didn't matter that the last meal he'd eaten had been dinner, he told his stomach. It clenched in on him, reminding him that he didn't have anything to distract himself with now, and the man glared at it. He was going to be _fine_.

     "I'll take him," a woman's voice spoke up, and Hal startled, looking back at her. Where had he seen-? Oh, the woman from his first meeting with the Lanterns!

     "Thank you, Boodikka," Sinestro said, smiling at the woman before he turned back to their prisoner and continued on down the hallway.

     "Come on," she told Hal, nodding in the direction the other Lanterns had gone, "it's this way."

     "Thanks," he quietly said, and she smiled at him.

     "Sinestro and I don't hate humans like the others," she told him as he joined her. "He's been watching Earth for a while now- he thinks your kind would make strong Lanterns."

     "I don't know whether to be happy or creeped out," Hal joked, and she chuckled lightly as she pointed ahead to a large set of double doors.

     "It's through there," she said, making her way ahead to open a door for him.

     "Thanks," he told her as he walked through, then stopped to stare at the many aliens clustered around the room. Fascinating, they were all so fascinating! Brightly colored, many armed, winged, there were so many different types here. Crazier than his wildest dreams as a child, and then the man frowned as a thought occurred to him- and collectively more dickish than he'd ever wanted them to be.

     "This way," Boodikka said, and he turned to follow the woman as she got into the back of the short line to their left. He got in line behind her, and was thankful that they didn't have to wait long. The man took a tray from the pile, stepping up the first food pans. He wondered what it'd- _oh_. He grimaced as the lunch lady spooned out what looked like green vomit onto his tray. Another one plopped a snot colored glob of... mashed potatoes? Whatever it was, it was sprinkled with what looked like pink bugles. A third dropped a little cube shaped thing onto his tray, and he stared down in silent horror at the food he'd been given. "I've got your drink," Boodikka called back to him, and he looked away from the food as he followed after her. "Here," she said, gesturing to a two person table to their left, and he sat. The woman set his drink down in front of him, and he stared in dismay at the pepto bismol looking liquid. Boodikka pulled the other seat back, sliding her tray onto the table as she sat down.

     "You sure you want to sit with me?" he reluctantly asked her, looking around at the aliens nearest to them. They looked away when she glanced at them, turning back to their meals as she frowned. "Might hurt your reputation."

     "I don't mind," she told him, turning her back on the others as she picked up her spoon. He looked down at the food he'd gotten, warily plucking up one of the small pink... things. It looked just like a corn chip, he told himself. If it looked like it, surely it'd have to taste like it. Hal took a bite- no. No, it _didn't_ taste like corn chips! He reached out, taking a napkin from the pile Boodikka had grabbed for them, and spat it into it. He grimaced, wadding it up as he licked at his teeth. The woman chuckled at him, eating her food as if nothing was wrong. Ok, time for try two. He suspiciously eyed the dark green glob on his tray, then looked at the little tan colored square he'd gotten. It looked like the safer option. The man set his spoon aside, picking it up to cautiously nibble at one side of it. Oh thank goodness, it really did taste like corn bread. "Here," he looked up as Boodikka set her bread square on his tray, the woman smiling at him.

     "Thanks," he said, grimacing back down at the other food. "Do you want...?"

     "I'll be fine," she assured him, and went back to eating as he chewed his square. It didn't take long for the both of them to finish, and Boodikka slid her tray under his as she picked them up. "I'll be right back," she said, turning from their table to take the trays away. He tapped his fingers on the table, uncertain of what to do as he waited for her to return. She made her way back to him, but didn't sit. "Sinestro should be wrapping up with Cuch," she told him, "we should go find him."

     "Sure," Hal said, standing to follow after the woman as they made their way around the lunch tables and through the clustered aliens chatting with each other.

     "So," she said as they left the lunchroom and entered the hallway, the woman taking the lead. "What do you think of Sinestro so far?"

     "I-" he paused, looking around to make sure no one else was near. "I'm so glad I got him," he quietly confessed to her, and she raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Kil- Kilo-"

     "Kilowog?" she supplied, and he nodded.

     "Yeah, him. He isn't my biggest fan."

     "You would have done fine," Boodikka assured him, and he shook his head.

     "I-" they rounded the corner, the man stopping as they nearly walked into Sinestro. The red skinned man looked between the two of them, then smiled.

     "I was just about to call a gathering," he told them, heading down the hallway to their left. Hal picked up his pace to join the man, Boodikka at his side. "Cuch insisted on being difficult," he said, "but I got what we needed."

     "Then...?" The woman trailed off, and Sinestro looked past Hal to her.

     "I know where Kanjar Ro is headed," he said.


	8. Reprimand - Sinestro

     "As you know," he informed the gathered Green Lanterns, "Kanjar Ro was forced to abandon his ship after Abin Sur's escape. Now he's on the move again. I just found out from Cuch that Ro and his men are meeting at the Kadian Space Terminal at 1700 hours."

     "That's it?" Ch'p asked, and Thaal frowned down at him. "That's all you got?" He merely stared at him. Ch'p's ears wilted, the alien's shoulders hunching in as his gaze dropped to the table. "Not that it isn't significant," the small thing hurriedly said, "no, it's good to know, necessary even!" He didn't bother replying, looking away to address the rest of the Lanterns.

     "I want everyone back here at 1600 hours," he told them. "We'll leave together. Are there any questions?" he asked, pausing. No one spoke up, and he nodded. "If not, then-" The door slid open behind him, and Thaal looked back to see who the late arrival was. The Guardians hovered in the entrance, frowns on their little wrinkled faces. They'd finally learned about Cuch, then. "Excuse me," he murmured, turning from the seated Lanterns to follow after the silent Guardians. They led him to the medical ward, Appa Ali Apsa shaking his head as they looked down at the thug.

     "This is not the first time we've had to reprimand you, Sinestro," he said. "This cruelty is hardly the Guardian way."

     "He was resistant," Thaal replied, watching as the nurses gently prodded Cuch's tentacles. "It made the process difficult. I did my best."

     "We should have been called," Ganthet insisted. "We might have been able to use our telepathy to draw him out."

     "Time is running out," the Lantern told them, finally facing the three. "And we're facing a foe who is hell-bent on destroying us."

     "The Green Lantern Corps is an ideal, Sinestro," the third Guardian said, shaking his head. "You don't save it by ignoring what it stands for."

     "This must not happen to Kanjar Ro," Ganthet told him. "The moment his is captured, he is to be brought to us. We'll do the questioning." The small man turned, glaring up at him. "Is that understood?" Thaal stared down at him, waiting a moment before he nodded.

     "Yes, sir," he said, watching the little men as they left. A light tap on the door drew his attention, and he looked up as Boodikka waved in at him.

     "Hey, Sinestro," she greeted him, and his trainee peered in from behind her. "I brought Hal. What was that about?" she asked.

     "The Guardians." He muttered, shaking his head as he joined them out in the hallway. "They will doom us all."

     "Well," Boodikka said in the silence that got him, "you can't face doom on an empty stomach. I know it's been a while since you've eaten," she told him, "and we've got the time." Thaal nodded, letting the woman take the lead as he walked at Hal's side.


	9. Heading Out - Hal

     "You keep staring at my food, Hal," Sinestro told him, and the man blinked, looking up. He had?

     "He's still hungry," Boodikka said, and Hal frowned at her. "He's having a hard time adjusting to our food, he only ate his bread," she explained.

     "Ah," the red skinned alien nodded in understanding. "I hadn't thought about that. Here," he said, holding out his cubed bread to Hal, "take it, then." Hal shook his head, leaning back.

     "I can't," he said, "it's your-"

     "I heard your stomach growling during the meeting," Boodikka told him, and he felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment.

     "Take it," Sinestro pointedly insisted. Hal sighed at Boodikka's smirk, leaning forward to hold his hand out. His mentor gave him the bread, and Hal steadfastly ignored the woman as he dug in. He made quick work of the little cube, halfheartedly glaring at the amused looks the two gave him. After Sinestro had finished his meal, the alien sat back and looked up at him. "So, Hal," he said, "what do you think of the Corps so far?" Hal looked down as he considered the question.

     "I think it's amazing," he finally said, and they both gave him surprised looks. "Oh, not the members, they're kind of dicks," he explained, "but the Corps as an organization is what amazes me. I always knew there had to be more out here, but this?" He gestured at the room they were in, at the aliens around them. "This more than I could've ever imagined." The man looked down at his ring, touching its smooth surface. "And thanks to this, I get to be a part of that." Boodikka smiled at him, sitting forward in her seat as she spoke.

     "I know the Corps hasn't exactly been very welcoming," she said, "but I think that with time, you'll do great things with us." Hal chuckled at that.

     "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were buttering me up," he told her. The woman cocked her head at that, looking questioningly around the table before she looked back up at him.

     "Buttering you?" she asked. "I was unaware that humans could absorb butter through their sk-" Sinestro took her shoulder, shaking his head as Hal sat back and laughed.

     "It's an Earthling saying, Booddikka," he explained, and she hesitantly nodded. He stood from the table, picking his tray up. "Come on," the man told the two of them, "it's time to rejoin the others." Hal stood as his mentor put his tray away, following after the man as they left the lunch room.


End file.
